April 2020

GAFCS NEWSLETTER
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

Georgia Affiliate — April 2020

Annual Letter to the

Georgia Legislature
In early February, all the
members of the Georgia
House and Senate received
a letter from GAFCS
thanking them for their
support and enumerating
the impact the family and
consumer sciences
professionals have on
individuals, families and
communities.
FACS and COVID-19
AAFCS National
Conference 2020 The following article is a Facebook post from Alex Rivers
Update at Minnesota State University submitted by Jenna Black. It speaks
to the importance of FACS in these unprecedented times. It is a
The 2020 National great reminder of just how important this field is:
Conference in Baltimore has
I haven’t posted anything like this before, but this
been canceled due to
quarantine has made me think a lot about my amazing decision
COVID-19. Please visit
to become a FACS teacher. Many people are confused by the
aafcs.org for more detailed name Family Consumer Science and I am constantly explaining
information. that it is the new name for “Home Ec”. This is typically followed by
Take it to the “oh so you teach kids how to cook and sew!”. I’m going to share
Streets with you a little bit about why Family Consumer Science is so
much more than that and why it is important for everyone to be
For more information on AAFCS aware of it! Below I made a (short) list of things that are
public policy initiatives, visit happening RIGHT NOW across the globe during the pandemic
https://connect.aafcs.org/ that are related to topics taught in Family Consumer Science
resources/advocacy/taking-to- classes:
streets continued on page 2

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Let Us Celebrate YOU!
Please submit “Toot Your Own
Horn” forms throughout the year as
you experience life to Ashleigh
Childs. We want to share in the
excitement with you! For questions
or comments regarding all awards
and recognitions, please contact VP
for Awards and Recognition
Ashleigh Childs at 229-921-2288 or
by email at aec10754@uga.edu.
Say YES to FCS
Campaign:
* SEWING face masks
* How to properly WASH HANDS
* BUDGETING for groceries/bills
* Creating/updating RESUMES for those who have been laid off
* COOKING more meals at home because #stayhome
* COOKING meals on a BUDGET
* Talking to CHILDREN about their emotions and change in
routines
* Finding developmentally appropriate activities for our kiddos at
home
* Many FAMILY dynamics may have changed as adult children
move home, parents work from home, and kids are not at school,
blended or single parents struggle with custody
* RELATIONSHIPS (friends, family, and S/O) are potentially
strained with the quarantine and people are finding new ways to
interact with one another

Use monthly social media posts to recruit I could probably make this list go on for a very long time, but I
students to fill the FCS Educator Pipeline think you get the idea... So the next time you hear someone
and more. . . Join the Georgia Action Team saying that schools should provide “adulting” classes for students,
by going to the AAFCS.org website. We tell them that FACS is doing just that! I’m proud to call myself a
need more FCS educators in classrooms
Family Consumer Science teacher and can’t wait for the
and Extension. We recognized our
educators at FCS Day at the Capitol. opportunity to start teaching students just how prominent these
topics are in the real world!
The National Partnership for Recruiting,
Preparing and Supporting FCS Educators Thanks for listening to my long speech. Stay home, stay safe, and
(AAFCS, FCCLA and SUNY Oneonta) stay happy!
received a grant from USDA-NIFA in 2018
of $748,188 plus a match from AAFCS to
total $936,572. The State Action Teams are
meeting to form a State Action Plan built
around recruitment, preparation and
support.

FCS Day at the Capitol and National FCS Educator Day Recap
On February 13, 2020 we celebrated National FCS Educator Day and FCS Day at the Capitol with a
Proclamation, Resolutions, group photo, tours, and a luncheon. GEAFCS presented gifts to each Legislator,
and we submitted the Annual GAFCS letter to Georgia Legislators. The day was marked by a unique
situation. – The General Assembly did not meet for many days due to reconciliation work on the budget.
Fortunately, our Senate and House Resolution sponsors were on the appropriations committees and were
working in the Capitol. Their administrative assistants worked very hard to arrange for the presentations
under difficult situations. Senator Ginn invited us to sit in the Senate Chamber and gave a civics lesson
which added a new twist to the day. Lively discussions ensued during the luncheon among students,
professionals and legislators. A photo with First Lady, Marty Kemp, on the stairway commemorated the day.
Stay tuned to www.GAFCS.org for photos. -Submitted by Joanne Cavis

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2020 GAFCS Conference Awards Recap

The 2020 GAFCS Annual Conference held many

opportunities for recognition of our awesome members!
The $1,500 TC Transcontinental Undergraduate
Scholarship is awarded to an eligible student unit member
who is enrolled in FACS undergraduate or related
specialized program in a Georgia institution. This year’s
winner is a first year FACS education student from the
University of Georgia, Ms. Kristen Hankins. The $1,000
Spirit of Giving Undergraduate Scholarship is graciously
provided by Ms. June Thomas and is awarded to a student
who is a junior or senior student unit member enrolled in a
FACS Education undergraduate program in a Georgia
institution. This year’s winner is Ms. Madison Adams. The
Graduate Scholarship is awarded to a GAFCS member who is
enrolled in a FACS graduate or related specialized program in
a Georgia institution. This year’s winner is a student at Georgia
Southern University and is Mrs. Meagan Franco. Scholarships
also granted this year by GAFCS were supportive in the 4-H
Dean’s Award and FCCLA scholarships. The 4-H Dean’s Award
in Family and Consumer Sciences is provided to a 4-H’er who
carries out a project in the area of Family and Consumer
Sciences and is announced at State 4-H Council. This year’s
first place winner and recipient of a $500 scholarship, Master
4-H’er Status, and recognition at 4-H Day at the Capitol is Mr.
Caleb Mosely from Tift County. The recipient of the $500
FCCLA Scholarship is Ms. Emily Emmons, a student at Archer
High School.

The Georgia Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

also recognized Mr. Charlie Mustard of Jittery Joes Coffee
Company in Athens, Georgia as a “Friend of GAFCS”. Mr.
Mustard not only provided delicious Jittery Joe’s coffee to be
served at the conference, but he also graciously supplied
coffee as gifts for the session speakers and as items for the
silent auction. Mr. Mustard was in attendance at the
conference and was presented with a plaque.

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TC Transcontinental has continuously provided their

support of GAFCS through a $1,500 undergraduate
scholarship. To thank them, Mr. Dustin Dyer and Ms.
Heidi Nichols were invited to attend the conference
and receive an acrylic plaque.

Mrs. Jackie Ogden, AAFCS President and GAFCS

member was presented with a Betty lamp to
recognize her dedication to furthering Family and
Consumer Sciences both on the state and national
level.

Ms. Cynthia Lovett was recognized as the recipient of

the “First Timer Attendee” award, which is provided
to a professional member who is attending the
GAFCS conference for the first time and covers their
cost of registration.

Other recognitions included membership milestone

achievements. 5 year members: Cara Simmons, Ivy
Odom, Mitzi Parker, Vida Szabat. 10 year members:
Megan Palmer and Susan Howington. 20 years:
Helen Carter. 30 years: Theresa Wright. 40 years:
June Thomas and Lynda Johnson. 45 years: Dorothy
Conteh. 50 years: Lynda Susan Moss and Patricia
Walochik. 55 years: Mildred Coleman.

For more information on applying for awards and

scholarships, please visit the “Awards and
Scholarships” Tab.

-submitted by Ashleigh Childs, VP Awards and

Recognition

For more photos from the GAFCS

conference, visit the UGA College of
FACS Facebook post by clicking here.

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UPDATE: INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR HOME

ECONOMICS WORLD CONGRESS XXIV -- DESTINATION
ATLANTA
As of the writing of this article, the IFHE is postponing the 2020 World Congress until July/August, 2022,
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. GAFCS is committed to planning and implementing the home visit
component under the leadership of the GAFCS Home Visit Management Committee. The team met,
discussed the question, and replied our support to the IFHE-US World Congress leadership. We will
continue to meet and keep our partners informed.

Every four years IFHE hosts a World Congress. The theme for 2020 is: “Home Economics: Soaring Towards
Sustainable Development”. The program includes educators’ pre-congress, plenary sessions, concurrent
sessions, Expo and poster sessions, university reunions, Learning Day on the Move with speaker and Home
Visits. Visit www.ifheus.org to access the World Congress 2020 website.

-Submitted by Joanne Cavis

GEORGIANS Keeping The Betty Lamp

CELEBRATED ELLEN
SWALLOW RICHARDS
BIRTHDAY
The founder of the family and consumer
sciences profession, Ellen Swallow Richards, was
the first female graduate of and first female
faculty member at MIT. We celebrated our
profession on her birthday, December 3rd, by
“Dining In With Neighbors”.
Check out the interactive map on the AAFCS
website to see who and where folks “Dined In”.
Georgia fell in the 1001 to 5000 participants
category. Governor Deal proclaimed
December 3, 2018, as FCS Day – Dining In for
Healthy Families.
Groups participating included: CFFLA, NAS,
ECE, FBLA, GEAFCS, GAFCS, and Middle
School programs.
All the Georgia FCS teachers and UGA
Extension FCS agents were sent information
about AAFCS resources and GAFCS news
releases.
-submitted by Joanne Cavis
Burning
At the GAFCS Annual Conference in March, all of the
presenters and speakers were asked to share what
keeps their Betty Lamp burning. It was amazing to listen
to stories about how everyone got started in this field
and why so many of us have stayed in it for so long.
Each person’s story was unique, but the theme of
connection and family seemed to pop up in each
person’s journey. Family relationships exist in so many
places outside of the home: work, church,
neighborhoods, schools, and even professional
organizations. That is what keeps my betty lamp
burning- this FACS family. This is my last newsletter as
the VP of Communications. I have loved getting to be a
small part of this FACS family for the past 5 years. Thank
you all for bearing with me as I helped navigate us into
the new world of technology. I am thrilled that Ashleigh
Childs will be taking over this position. I know that she
will help GAFCS grow even more as the times continue
to change. I am so excited to watch as we do.
Signing off y’all! -Ivy Odom